asked the Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take to oblige the providers of domestic electrical appliances in this country to produce apparatus which conforms to a satisfactory standard of noninterference with broadcasting reception; and if he can make any statement as to recent progress in this respect?

At present I have no statutory power to compel providers of domestic electrical appliances in this country to arrange that apparatus provided by them shall conform to a satisfactory standard of non-interference with broadcast reception. The whole question is under consideration by a. committee appointed by the Institution of Electrical Engineers, on which the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Post Office are represented, in addition to the electrical and wireless interests concerned. The committee has issued an interim report; and in co-operation with the British Standards Institution a specification for suppression apparatus has been issued and is available to manufacturers. Certain general questions, however, which have an important bearing on the problem are still the subject of consideration by an international electrical committee. The question whether there is any need for legislation will be considered when the British committee's final report is received.

asked the Postmaster-General what would be the approximate loss to the Government by the introduction of penny postage; and whether, for the purpose of benefiting trade and commerce, he is prepared to consider the intrdouction of same?

If allowance is made for the resulting increase in traffic, the cost of restoring penny postage would be about £6½ million a year. I have the possibility of a return to penny postage constantly in mind; but in view of the sacrifice of revenue involved I regret I am at present unable to hold out any hope of an early restoration.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can arrange for a post office to be established at the village of Barsby, in the county of Leicester?

The amount of Post Office business likely to be transacted in Barsby is small, and as there are already post offices at South Croxton and Gaddesby, about one and 1½ miles away respectively, I am sorry that I am unable to meet my hon. Friend's request.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephone and telegraph poles purchased and erected by his Department for the three years ended to the last convenient date; and will he state the country of origin of these poles, the cost per pole, and the gross amount expended by the Post Office for the same?

The number of telegraph and telephone poles purchased during the three years ended December, 1935, was 311,147, and the number issued for erection 399,167. The countries of origin of those purchased were the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland and Latvia. It is not in the public interest to quote the prices of stores purchased under contract.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the registered telegraphic address for the House of Commons is Commons wire London, and that the word wire is not charged for in such telegrams; if he can see his way to eliminate the word wire from telegrams so as to avoid confusion in the office of origin of the telegram; and will he consult with the authority concerned as to the possibility of stamping the telegraphic address on future stationery issues for the use of Members in the Libraries?

I find that the word "wire" can be omitted without causing inconvenience, and I have arranged that the telegraphic address of the House of Commons should now be "Commons, London." I will consult the authority concerned with regard to showing the address on future supplies of stationery.

asked the Minister of Health how many widows of insured husbands who died before January, 1926, applied for, and received, during 1933, 1934, and 1935, widows' pensions at 55; what proportion of these were widows whose allowances had stopped on their youngest child leaving school; and what steps are taken by the authorities to ensure that all widows of such men make the necessary application for a widow's pension on reaching the age of 55?

I regret that I am not in a position to furnish the information asked for in the first and second parts of my hon. Friend's question. As regards the third part, I am letting my hon. Friend have a copy of a notice which is sent to every such pensioner prior to the termination of her pension, instructing her that it will be open to her to submit a fresh claim at any time not more than four months before her fifty-fifth birthday.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give a list of local authorities who have adopted schemes under the Local Government Officers Superannuation Acts for the superannuation of supplementary teachers and school caretakers; and will he show in respect of each local authority the number of designated posts created in each of the before-mentioned categories, respectively?

Forty local authorities have, with my approval, made agreements with the managers of non-provided schools for admission to the benefits of the Act of 1922 of supplementary teachers and school caretakers. The particulars are as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture for what periods, and for what consideration, permission has been given to a private company to carry on horse races at Beverley and to enclose part of the Hum Pasture, over which the public have the right of unrestricted access; and whether, in view of the fact that the rights of the public over this open space have been restricted under the board's consent, he will consider the withdrawal of the consent now given at an early date?

Horse races on the Hurn Pasture at Beverley have, I understand, been held for at least 200 years. In January, 1935, I gave consent under Section 194 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, to the erection of temporary fences to enclose the Pasture, during seven days of each year while horse racing is being held. A condition of the consent was that, during the remaining period of every year, the fences should be removed. No consideration was demanded or given for the consent, which was granted on representations from the Race Course Company, which pays rent of £200 per annum which is devoted to the upkeep of the pastures. I see no reason for withdrawing the consent, which I hope will facilitate the enjoyment of access for air and exercise to which the public is entitled under the Act of 1925.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will enumerate the additional aerodromes that are expected to be opened in this country for civil purposes during the current year; and whether in each case arrangements are embodied for their adaptation for the purposes of defence in emergency?

It is hoped that the following nine municipal aerodromes will be opened this year: Bury St. Edmunds, Cheltenham and Gloucester, Coventry, Oxford, Perth, Weston-super-Mare, Wolverhampton, Worcester, York. All of these would be suitable and easily adaptable for defence purposes in an emergency. Special arrangements at the present stage for their adaptation are not necessary.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air which aerodromes in this country are now fully equipped for night flying?

The civil aerodromes fully equipped for night flying are those at Croydon, Lympne and Heston. A number of other aerodromes have limited night flying equipment for emergency use.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will now indicate particulars of the proposed scheme of aerial defence for Central England?

The aerial defence of Central England is an integral part of the general plans for the air defence of the country as a whole. As my hon. Friend knows, these plans are being advanced as rapidly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can state the amount of revenue which accrued from native direct taxation in Kenya Colony in the last financial year and the amounts during the same period which accrued from customs receipts and from direct taxation of Europeans and Indians, respectively; and whether any plans have been made for the setting up of the native betterment fund as recommended in the Moyne Report?

The last year for which figures are available is 1934. In that year the receipts from Native Hut and Poll Tax amounted to £314,480. Customs receipts were £611,606, and those from direct taxation of Europeans and Indians £156,070. As regards the last part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Banfield) on 12th February.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Provision Act, 1919, is now solely administered by the Government of Northern Ireland so far as Northern Ireland is concerned, or whether his Department and/or the Treasury has any responsibility for the matter?

This Act is now administered by the Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act, 1922. Though the Government of Northern Ireland render assistance to the Trust is so far as Northern Ireland is concerned, the Trustees are solely responsible, subject to such regulations as may be made from time to time by the Treasury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement regarding the proposed establishment by His Majesty's Government of an air-base in Cyprus; whether a landing site near Larnaca has been purchased; whether the aerodrome near Nicosia is yet in regular use; whether any further sites are to be acquired; and whether it is intended that the cost of the provision of aerodromes and landing grounds is to be borne by the Cyprus exchequer or to be met from Imperial funds?

I am not aware of any proposal for the establishment of an air base in Cyprus, though the possibility of the establishment of a flying training school in the Island has been under examination. I understand that the aerodrome at Nicosia is already available for use at any time, and that the Government of Cyprus have recently purchased a site for an aerodrome at Larnaca. No decision has yet been reached as to the purchase of further sites for aerodromes in Cyprus.

asked the Home Secretary how many cases of loitering with intent to commit a felony were dismissed in the courts in the years 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, and up to the latest convenient date in 1935?

Figures for 1935 are not yet available. Figures for the other years have already been furnished to the hon. Member in answer to his question on 20th December last. I regret that by a clerical error the wrong figure was given in the OFFICIAL REPORT-the number of persons proceeded against in 1934 was 4,834.

asked the Home Secretary what was the cost of producing the licensing statistics in the unabridged form prior to the cuts in 1931, and what is the cost of producing them in their present abbreviated form; and what was the net loss or gain on the sales of the unabridged and of the abridged editions, respectively?

The cost of the unabridged volume of statistics published in 1931 was £250. The cost of the abridged volume published in 933 was £81. The net loss on sales was £189 in the case of the unabridged edition, and £61 in the case of the abridged edition.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state, for the last 10 years, the number of young persons between 14 and 16 years examined for certificates of fitness; the number rejected; whether the reasons for the rejections are recorded; whether they can be stated; and, if not, whether a general indication can be given?

Particulars on this subject are published in the annual reports of the Chief Inspector of Factories, and the figures are summarised in the tables below.